Abby Schnittker swimming freestyle Oct. 25, 2025

ASHTIN ELDER PHOTO

Titans Finish First in Seven Events on Day One of Beloit Invitational

Women’s team in first, men’s sit third

11/21/2025 8:58:00 PM

BELOIT, Wis. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's and women's swimming and diving team kicked off the two-day Beloit Midseason Invitational, hosted by Beloit College, Friday, Nov. 21. The Titans took first place in seven events, as the women's team leads the field after day one with a score of 372. The men's team sits third after totaling 188 points.

The men's 400-yard medley relay team kicked off the scoring portion of the contest, as the quartet of senior Jay Jenkins (Aurora, Ill.-West Aurora), and sophomores Ben Huk (Des Plaines, Ill.-Maine West), Jacob Nacional (Bolingbrook, Ill,-Bolingbrook), and Tate Thomas (Joliet, Ill.-Joliet West) took home a first-place finish with a time of 3:41.08. The time bested the field by five seconds. The same four finished second in the 200-yard freestyle relay, finishing with a time of 1:31.13.

Huk posted a career-best time in the 200-yard breaststroke, as he won the event with a time of 2:17.96.

Thomas also registered a win, as he touched in at 4:54.88 to win the 500-yard freestyle. The Joliet, Ill. native continued his strong performance with a third-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle, clocking in at 49.92.

Jenkins posted a runner-up effort in the 200-yard backstroke, coming in at 2:02.03.

On the women's side, freshman Abby Schnittker (Lombard, Ill.-Willowbrook) recorded a win in the 100-yard butterfly behind a lifetime-best 1:01.01. Fellow freshman Ellen Hoover (Naperville, Ill.-Naperville Central) completed the one-two finish, as she clocked in at 1:03.30. The freshmen continued to shine for Illinois Wesleyan, as Schnittker finished first in the 100 free with a time of 55.37. Hoover posted a third-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley behind a 2:20.37 effort.

Senior Natalie Porter (Danville, Ill.-Danville) took home gold in the 500 free to complete the sweep for the Titans in the long distance event, as her time of 5:21.87 was six seconds faster than the next finisher. Junior Claire Paule (Godfrey, Ill.-Alton) finished third in the event with a time of 5:32.29.

Senior Kayleigh Kuschewski (Batavia, Ill.-Batavia) posted a second-place finish in the 200 breast (2:37.89) and the 200 IM (2:19.84). Junior Sam Borre (Hoffman Estates, Ill.-James B. Conant) also took home a runner-up performance, as her time of 2:15.57 was good for second in the 200 back.

The women's 200 free relay completed the event sweep to finish off day one, just edging out Ripon College by less than half a second. The relay was composed of Hoover, Schnittker, Cano, and Kuschewski, as the relay finished with a time of 1:45.08.

Illinois Wesleyan returns to the pool at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Nov. 22, for the day two of the Beloit Midseason Invitational. Prelims will occur in the morning, with finals scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

IWU Individual Results (Prelims) Final

Men's 100 Fly
5. Jacob Nacional (54.79) 55.74

Women's 100 Fly
1. Abby Schnittker (1:01.47) 1:01.01*
2. Ellen Hoover (1:03.90) 1:03.30
6. Isabella Cano (1:07.18) 1:07.33

Men's 200 Breast
1. Ben Huk (2:19.19) 2:17.96*

Women's 200 Breast
2. Kayleigh Kuschewski (2:38.41) 2:37.89
9. Caroline Stenger (2:52.62) 2:48.96
11. Julia Jozwiak (2:50.11) 2:50.79*

Men's 200 Back
2. Jay Jenkins (2:03.18) 2:02.03

Women's 200 Back
2. Sam Borre (2:15.16) 2:15.57

Men's 100 Free
3. Tate Thomas (49.90)* 49.92
7. Ben Huk (51.70) 52.10*

Women's 100 Free
1. Abby Schnittker (55.94) 55.37
4. Natalie Porter (57.53) 57.79
7. Julia Jozwiak (58.41) 58.83
13. Claire Paule (59.84) 59.83*
16. Isabella Cano (1:01.29) 1:01.96
xx. Julianna Boyle (1:02.70)
xx. Caroline Stenger (1:03.09)*
xx. Emilee Spicer (1:04.94)*

Women's 200 IM
2. Kayleigh Kuschewski (2:21.23) 2:19.84
3. Ellen Hoover (2:22.22) 2:20.37
7. Libby Hamer (2:41.20) 2:40.55

Men's 500 Free
1. Tate Thomas (4:56.73) 4:54.88
4. Jacob Nacional (5:09.10) 5:12.62

Women's 500 Free
1. Natalie Porter (5:27.01) 5:21.87
3. Claire Paule (5:35.49) 5:32.29
10. Julianna Boyle (5:54.95) 5:45.08
14. Emilee Spicer (6:11.31) 6:09.10

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